A Woman's Touch
by Prinzessin Mia
Summary: Aurelia had a tough childhood— she did, after all, grow up in the Legion. When the Courier begins leaving a mark, Caesar decides the situation needs a woman's touch. He sends Vulpes Inculta and Aurelia to the Strip to persuade Courier Six to join the Legion's side in the upcoming 2nd Battle for Hoover Dam. Will they succeed, or will the Legion fall?
1. Chapter 1

**Title: A Woman's Touch**

**Synopsis: Aurelia of Phoenix had a tough childhood— she did, after all, grow up in the Legion. Unlike most women, however, Aurelia grew up in luxury with everything, men included, at her disposal. When the Courier begins leaving a mark, Caesar decides the situation needs a woman's touch. He sends Vulpes Inculta and Aurelia to the Strip to persuade Courier Six to join the Legion's side in the upcoming second battle for Hoover Dam. Will they succeed, or will the Legion fall to another flag?**

**Pairings: OC (Aurelia) x Vulpes Inculta (I couldn't resist, I love him too much), slight OC (Aurelia) x M!Courier**

**Rating: M for violence, drugs, drinking, sex (not sure if I'm brave enough to write a detailed scene though), rape, language, sexual and physical abuse, slavery, and anything else I forgot. Read at your own discretion.**

**Side notes: 1) I plan on having this be third person, but I may switch depending on the circumstances. 2) When a member of the Legion, Aurelia or other, says "Mojave" during dialogue, it will be spelt "Mohave" because in Arizona that's how they pronounce it (according to some random site containing Arizona facts). Kind of like Caesar with the soft 'c' and hard 'k', Mohave is said with a silent 'h', I believe. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. Just wanted to clear that up right away. Any other time it will be spelt "Mojave".**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except Aurelia and any other OCs in this story.**

* * *

The wind blows gently, ruffling her golden hair. She stands on the top of the cliff just outside Caesar's tent, staring longingly at the welcoming water below. It had been ages since she last swam in the waters of the Colorado. Slowly, the magnificent sun rises to the right, signalling the start of another day in the Mojave Desert.

"Aurelia," A familiar voice calls, disturbing the peace of the morning. The woman, Aurelia, turns her head slightly to see Vulpes Inculta a few feet away. He always had a knack for stealth, even when he wasn't out on a mission. She nods once, giving the leader of the Frumentarii both a greeting and permission to continue. Vulpes steps closer, fully dressed in his shiny armor, dog hat and all, with his long pale arms behind his back. The sun casts shadows across what little of his face can be seen. Aurelia turns back to the view, admiring the beauty of the destroyed landscape. Her thoughts wander to what she would see if she were standing in this very spot 200 or maybe 300 years earlier.

"You know what Lucius says about your daydreaming," the fox beside her scolds when he notices her far off look. Still, he can't help but admire the way her face changes when her mind gets the best of her.

"Forgive me," Aurelia murmurs smoothly, not tearing her eyes from the glistening water below, "I did not realize you were my new tutor."

Vulpes barks a laugh at her sly remark, his lips curled into a smirk. "If you did not try to seduce the previous one, perhaps you would not require another."

_That_ makes her head turn, her eyes narrowed playfully. "With that in mind, who's to say I won't seduce _you_?" She inquires, dark blue eyes studying her friend in a way that makes him both proud and slightly fearful. He had, after all, taught her how to read people without giving anything away. Perhaps she has a little too much Frumentarii in her bones, his training and guidance aside.

"You can try," he croons in a childlike way, "but it will not work."

Aurelia blushes slightly, covering it up by clearing her throat. "So is there a reason you've disturbed my peaceful morning, or have you just sought me out to nag me?"

Vulpes rolls his eyes, thankful for his concealing sunglasses. "Your father has requested your presence in Caesar's tent," he says with his ever-present know-it-all tone. Aurelia scoffs slightly, something that does not go unnoticed by Vulpes. He tilts his head slightly, and even though his sunglasses cover his eyes, she knows he's giving her his "suck it up and deal with it" face.

Walking the short distance back to the tent, Aurelia and Vulpes remain silent. As they reach the entrance, Gregorius eyes her greedily. "Any concealable weapons I should know about?" He questions with a smirk.

"Perhaps," the woman replies with a shrug. Gregorius steps forward to search her when Vulpes slides gracefully in front of Aurelia to push him forcefully back. The desert fox gives the Praetorian guard his signature glare, causing the weaker man to slightly shrink back.

"That will not be necessary," Vulpes says calmly, more towards Aurelia than the guard. Gregorius nods and opens the flap, holding it open for the woman and the fox. When the flap falls shut and the pair are inside the first tent, Vulpes sighs, rubbing his temples. "Must you do that?" He asks in an irritated tone.

The woman merely shrugs again, giving him a sly smile before skipping forward into the next tent. Vulpes ignores the stares of the curious guards and straightens his dog hat, taking a deep breath before following after her. When he reaches Caesar's throne, Aurelia is already sitting at Caesar's feet, eagerly listening to their leader's story. Vulpes suppresses the urge to chuckle at his friend's childlike attitude that appears only in the presence of Caesar or her father. Continuing the rest of the way, the fox takes up his normal place a little ways away from the throne, face expressionless.

Aurelia rests her elbows on her crossed legs with her jaw propped up on her fists as she listens to Caesar explain why alcohol is prohibited. Vulpes himself had heard the lesson many times, choosing to focus on the activity around them. Lucius, the head of the Praetorian guards, leans over a table across the makeshift courtyard, eyebrows furrowed. A few guards stand beside him with similar expressions, quietly discussing their thoughts about the most recent attack on an NCR outpost.

"Lucius," Caesar smiles when his friend approaches, "your daughter listens well! You could learn a thing or two from her," he says with a laugh. Lucius smiles before excusing himself and Aurelia, leading her into the empty tent to the right of Vulpes. As she passes, Aurelia makes a face at her friend, eyes crossed and tongue sticking out, to which Vulpes merely raises an eyebrow. _The woman who soon will be turning 23 has the maturity of a recruit_, Vulpes thinks to himself, smirking slightly.

"Vulpes said you wanted to see me, father?" Aurelia asks, sitting down at the table inside the tent that serves as a kitchen of sorts.

"That's correct," the man replies, sifting through the refrigerator in search of some breakfast. "Caesar has Frumentarii across the Mohave tracking the dissolute Courier that was carrying the platinum chip. You know who I'm speaking about, I presume?"

Aurelia nods. "I do."

"Good. Then you'll know the Courier was recently shot in the head by Benny, leader of the Chairman-"

"at the Tops hotel and casino on the Strip, I know," Aurelia cuts in. "Father, you're rambling again."

Lucius nods distractedly, sitting down beside Aurelia with a plate of fresh fruit. "Forgive me, you know how busy it can get," he says with a wave of his hand. The woman nods, gesturing for him to continue. "Ah yes, well, the Courier awoke this morning."

"What?" Aurelia exclaims, blinking in disbelief.

Lucius nods. "He is recovering in Goodsprings as we speak. It is likely he will meet Inculta on his way to the Strip."

The woman furrows her thin brows in confusion. "How do you know he's heading toward New Vegas?"

"Dear girl, have faith in your elders!" Lucius says with a chuckle. "That _civilized_ tribal shot the Courier in the head. If that is not enough reason for revenge, I don't know what is."

Aurelia bites her lip before speaking. "You said the Courier will meet Vulpes?"

Her father nods. "Yes, didn't the boy tell you? With all the time you two spend together I figured you'd know each other inside and out. I remember the day we took his tribe-"

"Father."

The man winces as he realizes he's begun to ramble again. "Caesar is sending Inculta out to the town of Nipton, our eager partners from months ago, if you recall. He's going to send a message to the NCR."

Aurelia shifts her gaze to her friend, who kneels in front of Caesar, no doubt talking about the very same thing. "What is he planning to do?" She asks curiously.

Lucius shrugs. "He's a smart boy, I'm sure he'll figure something out."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except Aurelia, the plot, and any other OCs in this story.**

* * *

"When will you leave?" Aurelia questions suddenly, interrupting the peace between herself and Vulpes. The man sighs, clearly wishing to avoid this topic. Impatient as ever, Aurelia repeats her question.

"I am not deaf, woman," Vulpes growls. When she cringes slightly, he sighs. "Tomorrow morning we head out. The trip to Nipton should take 2 days. I will return before the week is over."

Aurelia nods, rolling onto her stomach. The two fall silent again, unmoving against the rocks overlooking Fortification Hill. Down a ways, boys not even 10 train harshly, their grunts and battle cries carrying up to Aurelia's ears. She sighs as she watches a slave drop a heavy box full of tools and metals.

"Why are women treated so awful, Vulpes?" Aurelia whispers, turning to watch him.

"You know why," he responds automatically, eyes remaining closed. His arms rest over his stomach and he looks almost peaceful. But the woman knows better. Vulpes is never at ease.

"Yes, but _why_?" She questions, not expecting an answer. Resting her head on her folded arms, she gazes at her friend, eyes half-closed. "Would we still be friends if things were different?" Aurelia doesn't go into specifics— she doesn't need to. Vulpes always knows what she means.

"Perhaps," the fox answers. "If anything, you'd be chained to my bedpost," he smirks. Aurelia laughs.

"I often wonder though—"

"You wonder a lot," Vulpes interrupts, earning a light smack on the arm.

"As I was _saying_, I often wonder why it was Lucius that took me in after… after my father died."

Vulpes opens his eyes then, icy gaze tearing through her, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. He sits up suddenly, facing her. "Do not trouble yourself with the 'what ifs', Aurelia. Your father was a good man, but Lucius is better." He silences the woman when she goes to interrupt. "Aurelius of Phoenix was a good man for the _Legion_, but Lucius is better for _you_. Look at your life, Aurelia," Vulpes says firmly, slight irritation seeping through his words. Perhaps it's because he doesn't want to deal with her after another nightmare. There have been so many already.

"He raped kids," the woman says quietly, pressing her forehead to the cool stone, unable to face Vulpes. "He raped my _mother_. Only Mars knows what else he did."

Vulpes suppresses a sigh. "That is my point." After a few seconds of silence, he can tell the woman beside him is still thinking dark thoughts, so he stands silently, removing his dog hat, belt and shoes. Quickly and easily, he picks Aurelia up and sprints for the edge of the cliff, Aurelia screeching and kicking the whole way.

A moment later they fly off the cliff, plummeting toward the water below. Seconds later, two loud splashes can be heard and the shrieking is cut off. Aurelia surfaces first, coughing water and shivering. She looks down at her white dress with annoyance. Now she has to go speak to Ambria about another set of clothes. Without warning, Vulpes surfaces, dunking the woman under again. They splash and swim for the first time in years, all previous thoughts forgotten.

* * *

Ambria, Aurelia's personal slave and friend, smiles kindly at her mistress, helping her unfasten the ties of the soaked dress. She listens quietly as Aurelia explains what happened, shushing the Legion woman every time she tries to apologize.

"'Tis no trouble, miss," Ambria reassures the woman for the hundredth time. "You _do _own half a dozen dresses," she reminds Aurelia.

"Yes, but now there's more work for _you_," Aurelia sighs. "Stupid Vulpes," she mutters threateningly.

Ambria chuckles. "You don't mean that, miss," she says knowingly. "Would you like the red dress or the black one?"

"What I would like is to be out _there_, fighting NCR and seeing the world," Aurelia mutters. "You choose." As the slave slips the black dress over the woman's head, the woman continues. "I wish things were different. I wish there were no slaves, no rape, no abuse… I just want everyone to be happy."

"Darlin' I know you've been with these people all your life, but sometimes you gotta accept things for the way they are. This wouldn't be the Legion if women weren't treated like livestock."

"But no one treats _me_ that way," Aurelia interjects in confusion.

Ambria sighs, tying up the dress tightly. "Your dad is the head of the Praetorian guard, Caesar is practically your grandpa— shit, you've got the head of the Frumentarii around your finger. No one would dare treat you like a slave; you're practically royalty."

The woman turns to face the slave. "I don't want to be treated like I'm better. I'm not! You and the other women do more work in a week than I've done my whole life!"

Ambria sighs. "That's not true and you know it."

The women stand in Aurelia's private tent in silence. "Things _will _be different. I'll change everything," the golden-haired woman promises with such ferocity and hardness that the slave instinctively flinches.

"You already have, sugar."

* * *

The next afternoon, Aurelia sits in Caesar's tent beside Vulcan, a charming and polite Praetorian guard. Silently she reads a book about herbs and which ones can be used to heal. Growing tired of the book, she crosses into Caesar's personal tent when her father isn't looking. Picking up a book from the wide bookshelf, Aurelia slips back into her seat just as Caesar and her father enter the personal tent.

"You play with fire, young one," Vulcan says with a slightly reprimanding tone.

"Would _you_ like to read a book about _herbs _for 3 hours straight?" Aurelia asks sarcastically.

"If it pleased Caesar," the guard replies. The woman _hmph_s and settles into the chair, opening her newly acquired book about science; specifically, computers.

"I've always wanted a computer," Aurelia comments with a sigh.

"Have you now?" Caesar asks curiously, voice a lot closer than the woman would have thought. Jumping slightly, she looks up to see the mighty Caesar a few feet away. He raises an eyebrow at the book on the table and Aurelia looks down.

"Forgive me, my lord," she says guiltily, closing the book. To her surprise, Caesar opens it again, pushing it toward her slightly.

"I was young once," he says with a laugh. "I won't tell you dad if you won't."

A bright smile lights up the woman's face and she nods. "Thank you, my lord," Aurelia says gratefully, eagerly going back to the book. She'd take science and fighting techniques over medicine and priestess lessons any day, even if technology is along the lines of forbidden. When Caesar returns to his personal tent, Vulcan lets out a quiet laugh, more out of disbelief than anything else.

"Did you see the new slaves brought in from Searchlight?" Emericus asks as he sits down beside Aurelia. When Vulcan shakes his head, the younger and more outgoing guard continues. "Caesar made a smart move by flooding the town with radiation. There were too many of those dissolutes wandering around."

"It was an NCR-based town," the woman points out.

Emericus wrinkles his nose in distaste, annoyed with the woman interrupting him. He wishes he could teach her a lesson or two about silence. "They have no business this far East," he continues, still thinking about how good it would feel to lock the royal bitch in a slave pen.

Vulcan nods in agreement. "They do not. But one little town is no match for the thousands of troops here."

Lucius calls his daughter over to question her about her studies, fighting a smile when he sees she's reading a book about computers instead. He would expect nothing less. "You know you need to study the herbs and recipes," he reminds his adopted daughter. She bows her head slightly. "When Siri requires help, what use will you be to her if you do not know half the things she talks about?"

"Yes father," Aurelia says quietly. "I am sorry."

"Run along," Lucius says, waving her away from the table full of marked maps of the land. "The fights are about to start."

Without being told twice, Aurelia slips outside, sitting down on the rocks just outside the tent. Otho stands in the center of the empty arena, waiting for it to quiet down. Legionaries and guards alike gather, all cramming around the metal walls to look through the large gaps that serve as windows of sorts.

"Remember the rules: light armor and machetes only. And, of course, to the death!" Otho cries as the spectators erupt into cheers and shouts. Otho exits the arena as two young legionaries who look no older than 14 step in. When Otho begins the fight, the first boy lunges at the second, swinging his machete. The second boy swiftly dodges the swings, twisting away and out of reach. He begins to taunt the first boy, jerking around and jumping to confuse his opponent.

"I'm betting on the kid with brown hair," Antony as he sits beside Aurelia. "Today the winner will receive their Legion name, a great honor indeed," he continues, watching as the first boy ducks away from a careless swing. His brown hair sticks to his forehead and when the second boy charges, he sidesteps him easily.

The longer the fight goes on, the more restless and loud the soldiers become. The second boy trips, landing in the dirt, giving the boy with the brown hair a perfect opportunity to attack. Everyone falls silent as he jumps toward the first boy, eyes wide and dangerous. As if in slow-motion, Aurelia watches as his sharp machete pierces the second boy's throat. Crimson blood spills out around the knife, onto the brown-haired boy's fingers, then down to the ground. Spectators clap, holler, and cheer, congratulating the victor. When Otho comes in, he holds the boy's arm high, letting everyone know the newest soldier among would forevermore be known as Bittor.

"It means 'victor'," Gregorius explains as he approaches the two. Antony excuses himself to prepare the mongrels for their upcoming fight, and the two are left alone. "Your friend left this morning," Gregorius comments idly, making small talk. Aurelia nods, thinking of Vulpes and wondering what awful things are in Nipton's future.

"He did," Aurelia says, looking up at Gregorius. They exchange a look and as the next fight begins, the two slip away, back to Aurelia's quarters. _Good thing Vulpes isn't here to scold me_, the woman thinks in relief as she tugs Gregorius's armor off. They do not leave until the following morning.

* * *

News of Nipton's fate reaches the Fort nearly 3 days after Vulpes' departure. When the fox himself is seen half a day away from Cottonwood Cove, Aurelia rushes down to Lucullus before he departs. "Ave, Cursor," she greets, looking up at the tall man. Lucullus looks down at the woman who reaches just above his shoulder and nods in greeting, stepping through the gates with Aurelia close behind. They step onto the raft and begin the long journey to Cottonwood Cove in silence.

Not many things are known about the secluded Cursor, except that he is a strong believer in Legion ideas and customs. Still, even though he looks at women as livestock, Aurelia believes the quiet man thinks more of her, even if only a little. About a half hour away from the Cove, the woman leans back to look at her silent companion. "Do you ever think of courting?" She wonders aloud, knowing it's a touchy subject for any member of the Legion, but asking anyway.

Lucullus is silent for a few minutes, long enough for Aurelia to resume her original position on the raft. His calm voice breaks the silence, surprising the woman. "Courting is an optional path for a Legion man. Pointless, really,'' he says, making Aurelia frown.

"You don't believe in love?"

The ferryman lets out a noise that vaguely resembles a chuckle. "Love is an idea for the weak."

Aurelia turns to face him, eyes narrowed. "Are you calling me weak?"

A corner of his mouth turns up as he replies, "all women are weak, daughter of Lucius." He looks down at her briefly before speaking again. "To answer your question properly, I believe courting is simply a way for a soldier to keep a slave all to himself."

"But some soldiers court because they love the slave," Aurelia interjects, drawing her eyebrows together.

"Perhaps," the Cursor replies indifferently. "It does not change the fact that a woman's sole purpose is to continue the survival of our species."

With Cottonwood Cove in sight, Aurelia begins to get excited, jumping up suddenly. The raft rocks but soon steadies. Turning back to the ferryman, the woman replies, "you don't think a woman could hold her own in combat?"

"That, my dear," Lucullus replies after tying the raft to the dock, "is a different matter entirely."

Ignoring his words, Aurelia leaps off the raft, shoes hitting the wood of the dock loudly, startling the nearby recruits. The woman skips the rest of the way to the entrance of the Cove, smiling brightly. Men grumble about her as she passes, but not loud enough for her to hear for fear of being strung up on a cross or tossed to the dogs. Patrols coming in stop and openly stare at the daughter of Lucius as she passes, earning shouts and glares from their commanders.

When Aurelia reaches the sign, she stops beside an Explorer. "Ave. True to Caesar," the Explorer greets when he sees her. "Ignore the recruits; it's not every day the daughter of the head Praetorian Guard comes to visit," he explains with slight arrogance. Aurelia suppresses a shiver when she sees the group of Legionaries eyeing her.

"I am here to personally greet Vulpes Inculta after his trip to the town of Nipton," Aurelia says, folding her arms behind her back, chin up. Not many know how close the woman and head of the Frumentarii are, though most do know they are more than acquaintances.

The Explorer snorts, earning a cold glare that startles the man into silence. After a few minutes, he gives the standard "true to Caesar" line before scurrying off to boss someone around. As Aurelia stands unmoving, eyes scanning the hills and hair blowing in the wind, the setting sun warms her bare limbs.

Aurelia is no longer alone as Severus, the head Centurion at Cottonwood Cove, stops at her side. "Ave, Aurelia of Phoenix," Severus greets, using the woman's true name. Only a select few call her that, for not many realize where she truly comes from. Aurelia shivers at the reminder of her real father. Severus served as Aurelius' second in command for years, taking over his close friend's position when he died. He spent many hours with the toddler Aurelia before her father died and Aurelia was sent off to the Fort to be with Lucius.

"Ave, Severus," the woman greets coolly, turning around to greet the man who helped raise her. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" She asks, face blank. _Give nothing away_, Vulpes' instructions ring in her ears. _Show them nothing_.

Severus chuckles. "I can't come talk to my favorite niece?" He asks, dark skin wrinkling around his eyes.

"You are not my uncle," Aurelia reminds the older man, a small smile on her lips. "But I appreciate your efforts nonetheless."

He ruffles her hair before resting his forearm on the top of her head, laughing. "You've changed so much, girl. And those manners! I never thought I'd see the day you acted like a proper Legion woman."

"It took many years of training and patience," a cool voice interjects, making Aurelia break out into a grin. She and Severus turn to Vulpes, who stands near the sign that marks the entrance to Cottonwood Cove. Without hesitating, she crosses the distance and throws her arms around her friend, smiling brightly.

"Inculta, are you wounded?" Severus asks curiously. At his question, Aurelia steps back to survey Vulpes for anything unordinary. Her eyes widen as she takes in the bandage wrapped around his bicep.

Vulpes waves Aurelia away, turning to Severus. "Nothing serious. A radscorpion got lucky while we were on our way back." Nodding in farewell to the two, he turns to his troops and gives them instructions, which Aurelia promptly tunes out.

She turns to Severus and they walk towards the raft. "How are you managing here at the Cove?" Aurelia asks, subconsciously inching closer to the man as a Legionnaire gives her a heated look.

"It's been nothing short of stressful, dear girl. Your father was far better than I am," he replies, stopping at the dock. Lucullus stands patiently at the other end, arms folded and face turned to the waves. "He would be interested to see the woman you've become, Aurelia," he continues, eyeing the tall girl. She looks like the same little toddler that was always causing mischief, but he can clearly see the proper woman she's become. "He'd be happy to know you became a priestess."

Aurelia narrows her eyes slightly, staring at the mountains in front of her. "I cannot imagine my father being happy about anything concerning me," she says coldly. "And I am not a priestess yet," she reminds Severus, glancing up at him to find his observant eyes already on her.

"You did not know your father like I did, girl," Severus scolds, shaking his head. Aurelia mentally scoffs and thanks Mars that Severus is right. "But even now, I can see how alike you two are."

"What?" Aurelia exclaims quietly, eyes widening a fraction. Severus nods, smirking victoriously. She curses herself silently for letting her guard slip. "I believe you are wrong, Severus. I am nothing like Aurelius of Phoenix."

The dark-skinned man shrugs, still smirking. "Believe what you will."

* * *

Aurelia follows Vulpes to his tent, eagerly waiting for him to tell her of his latest adventure. His stories are always better than the ones in the Pre-War books. While he unpacks, Aurelia kicks off her boots and sits cross-legged on his mattress, eyes drinking in his movements. Without Vulpes Inculta, Aurelia would not be the same. She wouldn't be so lively, cheerful, snarky or any of the other things people have praised her for.

Vulpes would not be the man he is today if it weren't for the golden-haired woman sitting on his bed, though he'd never admit it. She brings out the fierce competitive side in him, as well as a searing want to protect her and everything important to him. Her annoying and bubbly persona that he knows she only shows to him tries his patience countless times over, which he swears will be the death of him one day. But as she openly stares at him with her big blue eyes, he finds that he doesn't really mind that much.

"Story time will have to wait," Vulpes breaks the silence as he places his dog hat and glasses on the table. "I must speak with Caesar." Ignoring Aurelia's groans and complaints, he leaves the tent, knowing she'll follow.

He has to suppress his smirk when she falls in step beside him, barefoot. They reach Caesar's tent, stopping for a moment while Gregorius opens the tent for them. His sharp eyes do not miss the way the guard smirks and winks at Aurelia. He also doesn't miss the playful and seductive look she gives him from under her lashes. Pushing down the powerful urge to string Gregorius up on a cross, Vulpes carries on ahead to Caesar, leaving Aurelia a few paces behind. She frowns at his stiff and tense back, knowing he saw her exchange with Gregorius.

Aurelia rolls her eyes at his annoying habit of making sure she sleeps with literally _no one_— something he cannot control while out in the desert. Lucius beckons her over, so she takes her place at his side, eyeing the stack of notes on the table. "Aurelia, sweetheart, I was wondering if you could go deliver these notes to Alerio." He sees the look on the woman's face and quickly explains. "Everything we know about the Courier is on these papers and I don't want some idiot losing them."

"You're trusting _me_ with this heavy burden?" Aurelia jokingly asks as she accepts the heavy stack of papers. "I'm pretty sure we know more about the Courier than the Courier himself does," she scoffs, making her father and a nearby guard laugh.

"Hurry along, Alerio needs these as soon as possible so he can brief the rest of the Frumentarii," Lucius says, shooing his daughter to the front of the tent.

She slows her steps. "Wait, why isn't Vulpes—"

"Aurelia, go. I'll explain it all when you get back," he says sternly before walking back to his cluttered table. Aurelia glances once more at Vulpes' kneeling form before leaving in search of Alerio.

* * *

"Alerio, you're one hard jackass to find," Aurelia complains nearly an hour later, arms protesting at the weight of the stack of paper in her arms. Alerio looks up in surprise, clearly not expecting to see the golden-haired woman.

"Frumentarii, remember?" He mumbles, eyes raking over her. "You know what else is hard?" He asks boldly, meeting her annoyed blue eyes.

"Save it, Alerio. Lucius asked me to personally deliver these notes on the Courier to you," Aurelia says with an eye roll, thankful no one is around this part of the camp to hear their conversation. Though her mouth does start to water at the sight of the built Frumentarii, and all the memories of the deliciously muscled body that go with it, the woman cannot suppress her annoyance.

The man looks into the fire beside him before meeting her unflinching gaze. "You could accompany me to my tent and put the papers there—"

Aurelia cuts him off. "Or I could toss these into the fire and say you lost them," she challenges, unflinching.

He sighs in defeat and smiles slightly, standing to take the papers. Aurelia drops her arms to her sides in relief, feeling the blood begin to flow through them properly. Alerio appears unaffected by the weight, however, and continues. "My offer still stands, regardless…"

"Thank you, but I'll have to pass. You know that's not how I am."

He nods, looking disappointed. "I'm aware of your methods. I had hoped you would change your mind for me, however."

Aurelia raises a brow, not surprised at his words. She wants to tell him she's heard that line before, many times actually. But she bites her tongue and says goodbye before turning and walking back to Caesar's tent.

About halfway there, she hears crying. Stopping immediately, the woman follows her ears and hurriedly comes to the source of the gut-wrenching noise. Inside a closed tent, a woman cries in despair. Aurelia goes to open the tent's flap when a sharp _smack! _fills the air, silencing the crying.

"Quiet, bitch!" An angry masculine voice commands and the crying is reduced to quiet whimpers. Aurelia flinches at the man's grunts and the woman's muffled crying. She's tempted, _oh so tempted_, to barge in and beat the shit out of the man who thinks rape is acceptable, but she stops. Interrupting _that _would mean her ultimate demise, regardless of her status.

Selfishly, Aurelia backs away from the tent. As she walks further away, the second hard slap does not make her flinch. It makes her _angry. _Pushing past Gregorius wordlessly, Aurelia charges into Caesar's tent, heading straight for Vulpes. His eyes lands on her the second she enters the tent and he shifts, sensing her fury.

She ignores her father's calls and Caesar's curious stare. She ignores the whispers among the guards. All she sees is red, pun intended. Not caring who is watching, Aurelia throws her arms around Vulpes' neck, holding him tightly as she presses her face into his armor. With her arms in a death grip around his neck, she can't move. She can't go back to that tent and help the slave. She can't get anyone, herself included, hurt.

_It's better this way._

"Walk with me?" Vulpes whispers, his liquid silver voice calming her somewhat. She says nothing; _she doesn't need to. Vulpes always knows. _They walk, her hands around his wrist in an iron grip. She's worried she'll hurt him. Leaving everyone in the tents behind, they walk down the path, towards the training area. Children spar relentlessly, instructors barking out techniques and orders. Vulpes sneaks a glance at Aurelia when she starts shaking slightly. Obviously something is wrong, but what could have spooked her _this much_?

Gently peeling Aurelia's fingers off his wrist, he guides her to stand in front of an unoccupied training dummy. He wants to ask, but knows she'll tell him eventually, so he chooses to wait it out. After a moment of far-off staring, Aurelia instinctively changes her stance, as Vulpes showed her ages ago. He watches as she punches the dummy with all her strength, even knocking it over a few times. While he observes her, his mind runs through the millions of scenarios that could cause the woman beside him to act with such… _ferocity_. Even when Aurelia's knuckles begin to get red and start bleeding, she doesn't stop.

With a slight smirk, Vulpes notes that she must have read more about unarmed combat recently, as he sees her perform some techniques he knows he didn't teach her. "The instructors will come over and make us run laps around the camp if you hit the dummy any harder," Vulpes taunts, gesturing to the instructor nearby, who nods in agreement. Aurelia lowers her fists, glancing between the two, sweat on her forehead. Pushing her hair back, the woman sighs.

"Fine, fine, I'm done," she pants, walking away. Her anger still remains, but is only slightly simmering, quite a feat considering it was searing not twenty minutes ago. Vulpes catches up to her, pulling her gently to a stop. He sees the lost look in her eye and knows now isn't the time to tell her about Caesar's most recent plan.

Sighing, he pulls her up the path, heading for her tent. Aurelia looks down at her feet as she kicks at the sand, not wanting to see the looks the Legionaries are giving them as they pass. She does everything she can to not think about that tent, taking any distraction she can get. That's why she snatches the cigarette out of Damarcus' mouth when they pass him.

Two tents down, they stop and Vulpes pushes her inside. When she turns around to face him, he takes the cigarette from her mouth and throws it back out the door. "You know, someone might think we're sleeping together if you keep acting like this," Aurelia smirks, heading over to her table. She sits and stares at the Pre-War wood blankly.

Vulpes scoffs. "If anything, they'll think that because of the way _you _act." When he realizes she didn't hear him, he sighs, sitting across from her. "Where is your servant?"

"_Ambria_." Aurelia hisses.

Narrowing his eyes, Vulpes corrects himself. "Where is _Ambria_?"

"Hell if I know," she responds, glaring at the table. Vulpes begins to get irritated at her lack of cooperation. As Aurelia stares at the table, she can practically feel Vulpes' stare burning holes through her. She doesn't see the point in telling him what she heard. He won't change anything. _Can't _change anything. Why bother him further?

Vulpes stares at Aurelia, unblinking. The blood on her knuckles is beginning to harden, so he stands and crosses the tent to stand over the tin container full of warm water. Taking a clean cloth, he dips it in the water before returning to the table. Gently and carefully, he picks up Aurelia's hand and begins to clean it of blood.

When he finishes cleaning her first hand, he moves to the second, stopping to pry Aurelia's fingers from her palm, where small bloody fingernail marks mar the skin. He looks up when she shivers. "I heard a slave get raped, Vulpes," she whispers so quietly he wonders if he imagined it. Her pained look tells him otherwise.

Everything clicks together at her confession and for a moment Vulpes is not sure what to do. Rape is a touchy subject, something no one talks about openly. Most of the soldiers are above that and take willing slaves, but the others like Aurelius of Phoenix who get off from the pain they cause are still among the Legion. And Aurelia, a product of rape, had to be reminded of the scum woven into their ranks.

Aurelia glances up at Vulpes when he doesn't respond. His icy eyes are cold, his face a perfect mask. Damn him. She inhales sharply when his knuckles turn white, fingers gripping her bloodied hand tightly. Pain courses up her arm, but she ignores it, continuing to watch the spy until he does something, _anything_.

"Call for Ambria," Vulpes commands, suddenly up and crossing the room. Aurelia blinks and he's gone, leaving her alone and confused. Did she just make a serious mistake?


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except Aurelia and any OCs.**

* * *

An hour after Vulpes leaves, Aurelia emerges from her tent, hands wrapped in clean cloths sprinkled with healing powder. Ambria specifically instructed the girl to avoid punching or writing for a few days to give her hands time to heal. Her instructions fell on deaf ears. The golden-haired woman's thoughts revolved around one man: Vulpes Inculta. Many unanswered questions fly around inside her head, all remaining unanswered. Giving up, Aurelia pushes the Fox out of her mind to the best of her abilities.

Gregorius says nothing when she arrives, quietly holding open the tent's flap while looking at anything but her. But the girl does not care, no. She will face the stares and whispers boldly. She'll show them she's strong now; that her moment of weakness was just that— a moment.

"Darling, where have you been?" Lucius questions when his daughter meanders to his side. Fatherly concern is written all over his face and his brow furrows when the woman simply shrugs.

"I've given Alerio the notes on the Courier," she informs him, bright eyes searching the surrounding tents.

"Good, good. I trust he'll be briefing the Frumentarii before sunset. Our scouts have been tracking the Courier tirelessly, but he's quite determined to get to Benny; he's almost to Freeside," Lucius explains. He stops when he notices Aurelia's attention is elsewhere.

Caesar sits on his throne, rubbing his temples to try and reduce the growing pressure building. _Another migraine is coming, _Aurelia thinks to herself as she watches her lord stand and stumble to his personal tent. "Do you think it's getting worse?" She asks her father, who sighs tiredly and leans forward in his chair.

"I cannot say for certain. All I know is it isn't getting any better."

The woman sits on the edge of table, arms crossed. _If only Caesar would lift the ban on chems! _Aurelia scoffs. _There's a better chance of me going into the Mojave, _she complains silently. The woman gnaws on her lower lip, thinking of the Auto-Doc in Caesar's tent. She's read the manual dozens of times; even tinkering with it once or twice, but it's all pointless without the obviously missing parts. Why no one's given the order to go out and retrieve the parts, she'll never know. Maybe Vulpes could—

"Father, have you seen Vulpes?" Aurelia asks suddenly, turning her head. The older man glances up at her briefly before continuing to go through papers.

"I thought he was with you," Lucius says pointedly. The woman rolls her eyes at his obvious attempt to get her to open up about what happened earlier.

"I was indeed, but my presence was required elsewhere," the Fox himself responds. Aurelia's head whips around and she leans back slightly when she sees just how close he is to her. Vulpes doesn't seem to be bothered by their close proximity and gently grabs her forearms, raising her bandaged hands. After his inspection, he releases her arms and they fall limp at her sides. She quickly crosses her arms again in an attempt to hide the reminder. Aurelia stares at Vulpes, waiting for him to explain himself. The man stares back coolly; he knows his patience is far greater than hers, but Aurelia's stubbornness... To put it simply, neither of them is willing to be the first to give in.

Lucius, oblivious to the silent battle in front of him, breaks the silence. "Have you both packed your things? This isn't something I'd push to the last minute, if I was you."

"What are you talking about, Father?" Aurelia asks, breaking the staring contest to look at Lucius. He looks to Vulpes, a silent question in his eyes. Vulpes shakes his head slightly and the man sighs.

"Caesar has decided to send you and Vulpes to the Strip to personally meet the Courier."

Aurelia raises her brows in disbelief, thinking her father is attempting to be humorous. When his face remains serious, the woman's jaw drops. "You can't be serious!" She squeals.

"You'll both be acting as representatives of the Legion; your job is to persuade him to take our side when the Second Battle arrives."

"Take our side? What makes you think he wants any part of this war?" Aurelia asks in confusion.

Vulpes puts his hand on one side of Aurelia and leans against the table as he answers her question. "When we spoke in Nipton, the Courier was… most intrigued. He asked many questions concerning the NCR, the fate of Nipton, the Legion, New Vegas… He reminds me an awful lot of someone else I know."

Aurelia narrows her eyes at the Desert Fox before grinning. She claps her hands together, voicing her thoughts. "I'm going to meet the Courier and make him become the Legion's ally." She shakes her head slightly, still trying to wrap her head around the fact that she's finally going to go out into the Mojave. "I need to get ready!" She shouts suddenly, pushing Vulpes aside so she can jump down.

The men watch as Aurelia makes her way out of the tent, skipping and twirling and laughing. The Guards give her odd looks, but the woman pays no mind to any of it. She's finally going to see the world.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Lucius says to the smirking Vulpes. The latter leans against the table where Aurelia previously was, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Mars has a plan," he responds, looking at the doorway Aurelia disappeared through. "And I believe she is at the center of it."

* * *

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving, I'm leaving!" Aurelia sings to Ambria as she dances around her tent. "Can you believe it?" She asks, laughing in delight.

"Can you?" The slave responds as she lays out everything Aurelia will be taking with her. Dresses, undergarments, feminine supplies, a few books, a pouch full of Legion coins, healing powder, a canteen full of water, and a small sack of dried fruit.

"To be completely honest, no, I can't," the Legion woman responds. She sits down in the dirt, looking up at Ambria. "Do you think I'll be able to convince the Courier?"

Ambria, who was informed of the entire situation the second she stepped into the tent, pauses. "I think you can do anythin' you set your mind to, Miss." The woman brightens. "Besides, look at you. You're practically a sex goddess! I'd like to see any man resist that!"

The women laugh at Ambria's lighthearted jokes before going silent. Aurelia lies back, staring up at the red ceiling of her tent. She's going to New Vegas with Vulpes. This thought leads to many more questions and concerns, troubling the woman. _How will Vulpes act out there? Will he be different? Will I be different? What if one of us gets hurt, or in a fight? Would I be able to handle myself? _Aurelia knows the answer to her last question; of course she can handle herself. She's trained for years, just like the boys of the Legion.

"Miss Aurelia? I have a message from Vulpes Inculta," a slave announces from the other side of the tent's flap. Ambria retrieves the note and hands it to the woman before going back to packing.

_Little Wolf,_

_Unfortunately I will not be able to see you until later tonight. I've many things to finish and put in order before our departure. Meet me by Lucullus at sundown; I'll discuss all the details then. I highly suggest you meet with Caesar and thank him for this opportunity._

_I know you're chewing on your lip right now, Aurelia. Stop it._

_-Vulpes_

The woman releases her lip and pouts, annoyed that the Fox is right even when he's not present. She rereads the note and can't help but grin at the sight of her nickname. Aurelia thinks back to the day they read the Pre-War story _The Fox and the Hound, _so many years ago.

"_Come on Aurelia, I'm obviously a better fox," the ten year old Vulpes insists, smirking at his friend. "You can be the hound."_

"_Are you calling me a dog?" Aurelia snarls, offended by her friend's words._

_When Vulpes's smirk only widens, the girl launches herself at him, catching the boy by surprise. He quickly pushes her off of him, but Aurelia is persistent, prepared to fight to the death if necessary._

_Lucius quickly separates the two, reprimanding both children for their inappropriate behavior. He calls for a slave and watches in disapproval as Vulpes's scratches are treated. "By Mars, are those… bite marks?" He asks in plain disbelief, staring at a smug Aurelia._

"_Vulpes said I should be the hound," the young girl says quickly, defending herself._

_All the while, Vulpes silently watches his friend, eyes alight with curiosity and something currently unknown to the boy. When the slave has finished her work, Lucius thanks her and turns to the children._

"_This had better not happen again, child," he warns Aurelia sternly. "As for you young man," he turns to Vulpes, "go back to your training."_

_They bow their heads and Lucius leaves. Vulpes turns to go back to the other young boys and Aurelia follows. "I'msorryIbityou," the girl mumbles quickly before kicking a stray rock._

_Vulpes clearly understood his friend's rushed words, but takes the opportunity to gloat. "What was that?" He asks with a smirk._

_She glares at him but repeats her words nonetheless. "I'm sorry I bit you," she says slowly. Vulpes gets the feeling she isn't sorry at all, but accepts her apology anyways._

"_It's alright, little wolf," he grins._

_Aurelia looks puzzled for a moment before understanding crosses her features. Her grin makes Vulpes's head spin for a moment. "That's way cooler than 'the Hound'," Aurelia says with child-like excitement._

"_The Fox and the Wolf," Vulpes says aloud, testing the names. "I think that'll do rather nicely," he grins, looking at the younger girl with an expression that she wouldn't be able to decipher until many years later._

* * *

At sundown, Aurelia bids her father and Caesar farewell, giving both one final hug. Gregorius looks sad to see her go, but the woman pays no the guard no mind. She's free. She's free to wander and explore, free to sleep with whoever she pleases— though Vulpes might interfere with those plans— and free to be herself. _What will it be like? _Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she continues on. While she walks to the entrance of the Fort, the young woman takes the time to actually _see _the surroundings she'd grown so blind to. Men of all different shapes and sizes, all united by the same color, go about their daily routine. They talk amongst themselves, sharpen weapons, carry out their given tasks, do physical training. She notices the slaves, how even though some of them struggle to carry heavy packs and objects, others are lively and energetic. Her eyes land on a slave who leads a Decanus into an empty tent, and she laughs. Children run around, playing and shouting, enjoying life. But the closer she gets to the entrance, the darker things become. She passes a man beating a child for his disobedience; she passes a slave being dragged away because her legs no longer work. She passes crosses: some occupied by skeletons, others by unfortunate souls that are still alive. The last cross she passes has the body of a Centurion on it.

Curiosity burns within her, and Aurelia backs up to study the man. Legion men being strung up on crosses is nothing new to the woman; why did she stop? She's seen her fair share of people crucified— slaves, Powder Gangers, NCR troops, Great Khans, the list goes on. What is it about this one man that makes so her angry? Aurelia looks down at her bandaged hands and slowly unclenches her fists.

She hears Vulpes's voice from somewhere down by the gate and turns to leave when the Centurion lets out a groan. Aurelia looks into the man's cold, hate-filled eyes and has to suppress a shudder. Looking down, she walks away when the man stops her again. "I saw you outside… the tent the day I took that little girl," he wheezes, still managing to sound threatening from his place on the cross.

Aurelia freezes, blood running cold in her veins. Vulpes's previous disappearance instantly makes sense and the woman grins devilishly. "Was it worth it?" She asks innocently, backing up so she's in front of the cross. "You look like you're in an awful lot of pain. More pain than that slave was in, I'm sure."

The Centurion spits blood at her feet. "I don't regret putting that little bitch in her place. I would've taken you, too if… the Fox hadn't gotten to me before I could."

Tilting her head to the side, the woman stares at the man coolly. She notices him shift uncomfortably under his gaze and smirks. Setting her pack down, Aurelia pulls her machete out from under her skirt. "This belonged to Aurelius of Phoenix," the woman explains as she twirls the weapon around her fingers. "Which, well," she laughs humorlessly, "makes this a bit ironic, don't you think?"

"What… the fuck do you think… you're doing?" The Centurion demands as she slowly gets closer.

"I can't keep Vulpes waiting," she says in a singsong voice, ignoring the man's question.

"Killing me will just end my suffering," he continues, trying to dissuade the frightening woman circling the base of the cross. "You'd be doing me a favor."

She pauses, looking up at him. "Who said anything about killing you?"

Without warning, she reaches up and swings the machete, hitting her target just below the belt. The Centurion uses all his energy to scream in pain, but the woman isn't finished yet. She climbs onto the rocks behind the cross and leans around, getting close to the Centurion's face. "I'll ask you this one more time," she says sweetly. "Was it worth it?"

"Go… to hell," he spits, panting heavily. The steady stream of blood dripping from the man's body starts to pool around the cross. Aurelia watches for a moment as the hard ground soaks up the liquid before turning back to the man.

"Since you'll beat me there, I think I'd rather receive a postcard instead. How does that sound?"

The Centurion doesn't get the chance to reply; Aurelia has already started carving letters into his chest. Every slash pulls a loud scream from his dry lips, and by the last letter, his throat is raw from screaming. "There, all done," the woman says happily, jumping down. She avoids the puddle of blood, not wanting to get her bare feet wet in the sticky liquid. Wiping her machete on what's left of the Centurion's skirt, Aurelia returns the weapon to its original place.

Pulling her bag onto her back, she turns to the man and admires her work. The word 'RAPIST' is clearly legible on his chest. _The blood oozing out of the slashes adds a nice touch, _the woman thinks offhandedly, as if she's looking at the glistening waters of Lake Mead.

"I can honestly say it was a pleasure to meet you," Aurelia says sincerely, bowing her head. "But I must be off. Don't forget about that postcard!"

Fifteen minutes after the sun set and fifteen minutes after Aurelia left her father to go meet Vulpes, she arrives at the gate, smiling widely. She doesn't notice the way the soldiers eye her warily, or that they saw the whole thing. None of them can look away from the angelic-like woman that just mutilated a living Centurion, but none of them are brave enough to meet her eye. They remain silent until she's gone.

She also doesn't notice the proud and lustful look Vulpes gives her as he helps her onto the raft. All the young woman can think about is finally being _free._

* * *

**Author's Note: Short chapter, but I wanted to get this posted tonight. It also seemed like a good place to stop. Thank you to the anon who reminded me that this story still exists; you're the reason I spent 3 hours on my computer! I hope this chapter is to your liking. Okay, I've got to admit, this was slightly inspired by the Disney movie 'Tangled'. And did you guys know that bare feet is a symbol for innocence? I thought it was kinda cool that I threw it in there, since, you know, Aurelia just tortured a high-ranking office and got away with it, all while being innocent. *HINT HINT* Oh Mia, you're so clever! Thank you, thank you. *Facepalm* The next chapter will be longer, I think, to make up for the shortness of this one. Don't forget to review and tell me what you thought and all that. I'm quite interested to see how you guys react to this new side of Aurelia (and when I say "new side", I definitely mean "new side". It's not going anywhere. Especially with Vulpes around…. *hint hint, again*). I hope you're all doing well and enjoying fall, and Happy Halloween!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except Aurelia and any OCs.**

* * *

Vulpes adjusts the brown tie that matches his Pre-War suit for the thousandth time. After the third time in two minutes, Aurelia's annoyance reaches its peak. "What's bothering you so?" She asks, breaking the silence. The sun has disappeared from the sky completely, the bright round moon taking its place. In the distance, the woman can make out a bright glow in the darkness. Excitedly, she assumes it's New Vegas.

The Fox says nothing for a moment, eyes scanning the barren landscape around them for danger. "We are approaching Novac."

"And?" The golden-haired girl questions, not understanding why the small town is causing her friend so much distress.

He sighs. "It has two ex-First Recon snipers guarding it. We recently took the wife of the night sniper."

Aurelia is not surprised by the information. "Why did you do that?" She asks curiously anyways.

"_I _personally hand no hand in it. A woman in the town wanted the wife gone and contacted us."

"Must've held a grudge or something," Aurelia shrugs. "What happened to the wife? Have I met her?"

"No. She was shot and killed while being sold. I suspect the sniper was the cause of her demise."

Aurelia stops and stares at Vulpes in shock. "He killed his own wife? Why?" She asks in astonishment.

"She was pregnant," he answers offhandedly, like he's discussing the weather. "I do not think a former NCR sniper would want his wife and unborn child being in the hands of his enemy." He shrugs. "She was very pretty. I'd imagine you would have been well acquainted— an officer would have surely snatched her up."

The young woman trails after her companion. "That's awful," she murmurs sadly. _Poor sniper, _Aurelia thinks before she can stop herself. _His conscience must be slowly killing him._

"Come along, little wolf," Vulpes says when she falls too far behind. "Do not trouble yourself with the lives of NCR dogs." He spits the last part and Aurelia quickly changes the subject so her friend will calm down.

"Isn't it more dangerous to travel at night?"

The Frumentarii leader tips his head from side to side. "Yes and no. There's a smaller chance of enemies seeing you, yet the same goes for you seeing _them. _Stealth is critical while traveling in the Mohave at night." He looks down at her with a smirk. "You should have no problems with that."

She giggles a little. "You know me so well. But Vulpes, when will we see action?"

Said man takes a moment to study the woman, whose bright smile hasn't faded once since leaving the Cove. There's a slight bounce in her step and she looks… _beautiful. _Shaking his head quickly, Vulpes responds easily. "A little eager, are we?" He smirks. Aurelia rolls her eyes and he continues. "We may run into an occasional mole rat or junkie. But for the most part, our path keeps us out of danger."

The blonde juts out her lower lip in a pout, making Vulpes chuckle. The sound is welcoming to her ears and another smile graces her lips. The duo pass Novac without incident, thanks to Vulpes' careful instruction to make no sudden movements, act casual, and speak quietly. As she stares in awe at the dinosaur, she even catches a glimpse of the nighttime sniper they had talked about. A pang of guilt wells up in her chest but quickly evaporates when she decides to address something that has been bothering her and, she suspects, her companion as well.

"Vulpes?" She asks almost shyly. Her tone catches him off-guard and he peers at her, trying to read her expression. When he raises a brow, she steadies her breathing and continues. "You saw me with… with the centurion." It isn't a question. She knew as soon as he handed her her boots that he had seen it all.

"I did," he says in confirmation.

The woman looks off to the side, taking in the new land around her. Her whole life she'd been stuck at Cottonwood Cove, Fortification Hill and Flagstaff— brief as the latter was. She's never left once, and now, with the whole world to explore, she decides to talk about what happened at _Fortification Hill. _A frustrated growl escapes her lips and she chews relentlessly on her lip. "You must think so poorly of me," she says, barely above a whisper.

A cold hand appears on her shoulder, stopping her. "Aurelia," Vulpes says in a soft yet firm tone. "I could _never _think poorly of you. Not even when you make terrible decisions." He hesitates for half a moment and her bright eyes flicker to his. "What you did to that man, he deserved it. And I'm glad you were the one to inflict his punishment."

"You're not mad at me?" She asks cautiously, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Mad?" He asks with a laugh. "Hardly."

Aurelia frowns. "But it was far from appropriate. What would Father have said?"

Her companion silences her with a slim finger over her lips. "No worrying about the 'what-ifs', remember? What you did would have pleased Caesar, had he been there. You have undoubtedly pleased Mars as well." _And also me, _he wants to add, but holds his tongue.

The woman sighs happily and pulls away from him, the weight on her shoulders lifted. "What a relief. Here I was worrying that you'd hate me for stepping out of line."

Vulpes smirks. "Never."

* * *

They reach Freeside by dawn, and Aurelia is practically dead on her feet. "I'm so tired, Vulpes," she moans.

He gives her a sideways glance and sees that she's having trouble standing. Her eyes droop shut and her hair is tousled. There are even patches of dirt on her legs from the few times she's fallen over. "I'm sorry, Lupa," he murmurs sincerely. Vulpes, on the other hand, is wide awake. He's gone far longer without sleep and has made trips three times the distance, so his body is used to the strain. "We'll stay in the Atomic Wrangler, much as I hate to do it," he voices his thoughts aloud to his exhausted companion.

When they enter Freeside, their ears are filled with gunshots and chaos. A high-pitched scream fills the air, followed by wild cackling. It makes Aurelia straighten immediately. "Don't worry," he says to the woman as she inches closer to his side. "As long as we avoid alleys and stick to the main streets we'll be fine. Just stay awake and stay close, alright?"

Aurelia nods and he can see her shake a little. Whether from fear or excitement, he isn't sure. They pass Old Mormon Fort without problems, though they were approached a few times. A deathly glance from Vulpes sends them running for the hills. When they make it to the 'fun part of town', he has to stop and tug Aurelia along a few times because the curious girl keeps stopping to take in the sights. He has to remind himself that she's never seen so many Pre-War buildings before. "Just down this way," he instructs, pointing at the unlit sign hanging off the side of the Atomic Wrangler.

"Hey honey!" A hooker shouts at Aurelia as she passes. "Are ya hungry? Thirsty? _Horny?" _She continues without waiting for a response. "The Atomic Wrangler's got you covered!"

Vulpes pulls on her arm with a little more force than necessary, but she doesn't notice. On the other side of the street, a man in tattered clothes is advertising Energy Weapons. "Can we sleep now?" Aurelia asks in a whiny tone when they enter the smoke-filled casino, bar and hotel. The woman coughs for a minute before her lungs adjust to the toxic air.

The man in the brown suit has to make a conscious effort to keep his composure cool and collected. On the inside, however, he's _livid. Such a mistake! Polluting her pure and innocent soul with this profligate filth! _Still, he forces himself forward. _Stick to the mission._

"A room, please?" Vulpes asks politely, speaking like the locals. Aurelia plays along effortlessly, even yawning a little to sell it.

"Third door," the man behind the counter, James Garret, informs. He points at their room and Vulpes hands over the caps. "No tabs up front. The hookers and games are in the other room and I can help you with any drinking needs you may have. My sister, Francine, handles the food."

Aurelia bats her eyelashes at the man. "Thanks," she purrs, taking the key. Vulpes glowers silently at the bartender as he checks out Aurelia. Biting his tongue, he heads upstairs with his companion and they vanish into their room. "This is wonderful!" Aurelia exclaims, jumping on the bed after dumping her pack by the door.

Vulpes, no longer irritated, smirks at her childish antics. "You're entertained by the littlest things," he comments as he takes off his hat, jacket and shoes. Aurelia says nothing, looking quite dead on the Pre-War mattress.

"Turn off the light please," she commands tiredly as he locks the door. He complies and the dingy and foul-smelling room is plunged into blackness. "It's too hot without the wind," Aurelia complains a moment later, making the man roll his eyes. He strips down to shorts and lies silently on the bed, listening as Aurelia peels her dress off.

When she's done, she climbs onto the bed beside him, accidentally elbowing his stomach. A groan escapes his lips at the unexpected action and Aurelia apologizes profusely. After a moment, she begins to laugh hysterically. "Alright, that's enough," Vulpes frowns half-heartedly. "Go to sleep; you're overtired."

"Am not," she protests when her laughter dies down. She goes to argue further, but a yawn interrupts her speech. "Fine. Goodnight."

Vulpes lays unmoving as Aurelia fumbles around with the sheets. He feels a brush of her soft smooth skin and instantly wonders if she took _everything _off. He banishes the thought and frowns at the peeling wallpaper.

Not a moment later, the silence is broken. "Vulpes."

"What?" He groans, rolling onto his side, exposing his scarred back to her. He feels her fingertips trace over the countless lines and has to suppress a shiver.

"It's weird not being in a tent."

"I know," he responds. "It's something you get used to. Now go to sleep, you'll need to be at your best for tomorrow night."

She hums in response and Vulpes makes the mistake of assuming she's finally gone to sleep. After about three minutes, her long arms wrap around him and she mumbles something he can't quite make out. It eats away at him until he falls into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Almost 14 hours later, Aurelia awakens. The hotel room is still completely dark, but her eyes quickly adjust. She doesn't bother calling for her companion; she knows he isn't there, if the empty spot beside her is anything to go by. Standing up, the woman stretches her incredibly sore and stiff muscles. A sigh of contentment escapes her lips when there are multiple _cracks! _and _pops! _

Though the Legion woman wants to explore the hotel, she decides it would be best to freshen up first. Wandering into the small and dirty bathroom, Aurelia wrinkles her nose and ignores the mysterious stains, taking advantage of the shower. Even if the water is freezing, it's much quicker than bathing in a tub or the Lake. When she's done, she pulls on a clean white cotton dress, her favorite. Slightly revealing, it gives off the impression of being coy, while still remaining elegant with the lacy that decorates it. After tugging on her boots and fixing her long damp hair, she emerges into the smelly and clouded hotel. A raspy voice comes on over the speakers and the woman realizes the man standing in front of the microphone is a _ghoul._

Roaming around the casino, Aurelia settles on remaining inside the Atomic Wrangler while she waits for Vulpes to reappear. "Hello beautiful, can I get ya anything?" A waiter comes over and asks when she sits on a plushy Pre-War chair near the stage.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have any money with me," she responds sadly, looking down.

The waiter, a cute boy who looks to be a few years younger than her, shrugs it off. "Hey, for a pretty girl like you, it's on the house. What'll it be?"

"You're too kind!" She smiles sweetly. "Water would be lovely." The kid nods and gives her a wink before disappearing into the crowd of people dressed in suits and dresses. A woman wearing a pink dress with a red bow tied around the waist catches Aurelia's eye, and she covets it immediately. All the dresses she's forced to wear are simple cotton and not flashy whatsoever, plain and one color. She makes a mental note to request a pretty dress from Vulpes later. The boy returns and hands her the glass of clean fresh water and she thanks him with a seductive smile.

As she sits in the comfy chair, Aurelia watches the profligates around her with vivid interest. Everything about them is fascinating and gleefully _different. _Their ways may be a tad gross at times, but there's something about the way they live without purpose that catches the woman's attention. They don't live by thousands of rules, they don't have to worry about packing up and leaving their homes at any given moment, they don't have to wear specific things. She sighs, realizing that she's envying the lives of profligates. What would Father and Caesar think? Or worse, what would _Mars _think? A shudder ripples down her spine at the thought of the god of war reading her thoughts.

"Having fun?" A familiar and silvery voice inquires in her ear.

Nodding immediately, Aurelia grins. "Oh, Vulpes, I've learned so much in the past hour!"

Her companion widens his eyes at the mention of his name and Aurelia blushes profusely when she realizes her mistake. "I'm sorry," she mutters as she drops her head. "Clearly I'm no good at this."

Vulpes gives her a small smile. "It's understandable. Luckily, this filthy place is crowded enough that we should have some privacy."

Glancing around, she sees that he's right. Besides the guards, most of the customers in the Wrangler are either intoxicated or high. She cringes as a man falls down the stairs face first. _Or both._ "Let's go to the room," Vulpes suggests without really suggesting it. He grabs her hand and pulls her up with him a moment later.

"Eager, are we?" Aurelia mocks, throwing in a suggestive tone as well. The Fox rolls his eyes, yet doesn't comment. She grins at the small victory.

Once inside the room, Vulpes locks the door and dumps out his pack. "Here, I will let you present this to the Courier." He tosses something light to Aurelia, who's lounging on the Pre-War couch.

Catching it easily, the woman gasps slightly when she sees just what it is. "The Mark of Caesar? That's quite a big honor."

"Indeed. I trust you'll explain that to our new friend when the time is right." He rearranges things and goes about his business before adding, "Caesar has put a lot of effort into tracking this man."

"Why do you think that is?" She hangs upside down, putting her feet over the back of the couch. A giggle escapes her lips at the new perspective of her childhood friend.

He raises his brows at her juvenile antics while putting their clothes into piles. "He believes this Courier will help us defeat the NCR."

"Duh," Aurelia rolls her eyes, sticking her tongue out at the man. "So, what are we going to do?"

Vulpes puts a few things into his pack before tosses Aurelia hers. "We leave for the Strip tonight. The Courier is already there— he's been staying inside the Lucky 38. My men have reported that he's planning to meet with the Leader of the Chairmen tonight, so we have to be quick." He tosses her another couple things. "Your fake passport and 300 caps. Leave anything that ties you to the Legion."

After she finishes going through her pack, she has only two dresses, undergarments, her brush, the passport, Vulpes' caps, a few makeup items, her canteen, and the Mark of Caesar. "My cover name is Mister Jason Fox, but you can address me as Jason if you wish."

She opens her passport, frowning at the name. "But my name is still Aurelia!"

His eyes narrow slightly and his head tips, an action he does when trying to get inside someone's head. "And this displeases you?"

"Yes! Why don't I get a badass profligate name?"

Shaking his head, he sits on the bed. "Your name already is 'badass', you just fail to see it." He sighs when he sees her pouting. "It's beautiful, you know. Why would you want to change it?"

The young woman shrugs.

Vulpes adds, almost as an afterthought, "It's very unlikely that people outside of the Fort would know your name, so there's a minimal chance of you being found out. I, on the other hand, would be in quite the predicament were I to use my true name."

"'If you steal from the NCR, you're _his _bitch'," Aurelia smirks, quoting an NCR poster she'd seen with his face plastered on it. "How'd they get a picture of you, anyway?"

He chuckles a little. "That is not a question I can answer, unfortunately." He stands, fixing his suit and grabbing his hat. "Let's go," he nods to the door. They grab their bags and lock up the room. "I have already paid off the owner of this disgusting place, so our things will be safe until we return."

"When will that be?" Aurelia asks as they walk along the cracked sidewalk.

Vulpes shrugs. "A day or two, possibly. We'll book a room on the Strip if need be."

The answer makes her pause. "So… we'll be going home soon?" He instantly notices the sadness in her voice.

"Who says we have to leave right after?" The Fox inquires with a sly grin. She catches his meaning and smiles as well, slightly relieved.

"Good, because we just got here!" Aurelia links her arm with Vulpes' and they walk down the main road, heading straight for the city of lights. They pass numerous men dressed nearly identical, causing Aurelia to spew out many questions.

Vulpes resists the urge to massage his temples. "Those men are part of The Kings. They're a gang that more or less runs Freeside. They're harmless." Thankfully, they reach the gate before Aurelia can respond.

Handing his passport to the Greeter, Vulpes nudges Aurelia to do the same. Said woman is staring in awe at the Securitron before her, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. It's a comical sight, but one the robot can't appreciate. "Present your passport or pass a credit check," it demands loudly, making her hastily hand her little book over to the big machine. It scans the objects over for a moment before handing them back. "Welcome, Mr. Fox and Ms. Williams. Enjoy your stay on the Strip."

Aurelia utters a 'thanks!' before being tugged away by her companion. "Williams?" She asks curiously, receiving a shrug. Just as they're about enter the gate leading to the Strip, a man pushes them aside in his haste to get by. A moment later, half a dozen lasers hit the junkie, causing his body to instantly disintegrate. Aurelia gasps in shock and clings to Vulpes, who protectively holds her out of harms way. The Securitrons return to their posts after the threat has been eliminated, and the couple is free to continue on through.

"They don't take kindly to those in poverty," Vulpes briefly explains to the shocked woman. She nods slightly, suddenly too swept up to respond. Her neck cranes back as she looks up at the gigantic lit up buildings. The loud music pulsing throughout the Strip hurts her head a bit, but she finds it's a pleasant pain.

People in fancy outfits and uniforms walk around from place to place, stumbling and laughing. Aurelia wrinkles her nose as a soldier throws up against the leg of a large sign. "Not as glamorous as you thought, hm?" Vulpes asks rhetorically, unfazed by the glitz and glamour of the profligate world. His companion, however, is quite the opposite.

She watches in fascination as women who are wearing hardly anything dance for crowds of people, happily accepting caps and compliments. "That's Gomorrah," Vulpes informs with a flick of his wrist. "Of the three casinos, it's the least pleasant."

"Are you sure about that?" Aurelia asks as she watches men flood into the building after a few prostitutes.

Vulpes rolls his eyes, wanting to tell her that he could care less about any other woman, but settles for tugging her along instead. She pauses briefly to stare at the Lucky 38, filled with wonder at its height and splendor. He makes sure to keep a tight hold on her, so she doesn't get lost in the crowd. The man winces at the thought of all the consequences that would await him if he were to lose her for even a second.

Nearing their destination, Vulpes allows her to wander for a few moments. "I want to go there!" Aurelia proclaims, pointing at the Ultra Luxe. "Can we, please?" Before even getting an answer, she starts off toward the giant fountain in front of the hotel. Vulpes notices a moment too late that something is happening, something crazy enough that Securitrons are present.

"Perhaps now is not the best time—" he begins, but his warning falls on deaf ears.

"Who wants to swim? The water's fiiiine," an NCR woman shrieks, dancing in nothing but her underwear. The other two women are behaving similarly, clearly drunk out of their minds.

Aurelia takes a step forward, almost like she's about to join in, but Vulpes quickly clamps an iron grip around her wrist to prevent her. "The fountain is for wishes, ladies," a Securitron says as it attempts to get the women out of the water.

"Please remove your bra from the bottom of the fountain and gather your clothes and belongings," another commands. Meanwhile, a couple men cheer the drunken soldiers on, hooting and clapping. Vulpes frowns in disgust at the display before him.

A woman in a pink lacy nightgown laughs. "Crocker can kiss my sweet Republic ass," she shouts, continuing to dance.

Aurelia watches curiously as the Securitron tries again. "Ladies, please disperse."

"Come on big man, roll up in here," the third woman cat calls, stumbling a little.

The duo notice an NCR man in uniform approach with a pissed off expression. "Okay ladies, show's over. Get your shit and go or you'll be sitting in jail for the rest of your leave!" He barks, obviously not in the mood to deal with any bullshit.

"Uh oh," the first woman giggles, "it's the _law, _girls!"

The MP frowns, crossing his arms. "You wanna dance, hit Gomorrah."

Vulpes tries to pull his companion away, but she's transfixed by the scene before her. "Are you going to spank us?" The woman in the nightgown asks. "I do so _love _handcuffs," she announces, putting her hands to her heart and smiling seductively.

"Then you'll love jail," the MP seethes. "Let's go, _now, _or I'll have to use this," he pulls out a Cattle Prod, sparking it for good measure. That gets through to the drunken women. They quickly scamper away, not bothering to grab their clothes.

The MP cleans up after them and apologizes to the Securitrons before heading toward a building at the end of the Strip, which Vulpes explains to be the NCR Embassy. "There, satisfied?" He breathes in her ear. "Come on, we're going to the Tops."

Aurelia is still as a stone, silently observing everything. The incident shows her just how bad things have gotten for their enemies. "Their women don't even listen to their officers!" She exclaims, both in shock and pleasure. It's the first time she gets to witness the NCR's corruption firsthand.

Vulpes smiles a little at her fiery hatred for their rivals. "Yes, I am well aware, Lupa. But please, can we go now?"

She nods with a grin. "Let's!"

They enter through one of the many doors and Aurelia is relieved to find the building has what Vulpes called air-conditioning. As soon as they fully step into the casino, a man with dark hair and a suit smiles warmly.

"Hey there cats, I'm afraid I've got to ask ya to turn over any weapons you might be carrying."

Vulpes relinquishes his precious machete and another Chairman comes and pats them down while the dark-haired man searches their bags. Luckily for Aurelia, she put on the Mark before leaving the Wrangler. "Now that that's all settled, what can I do to make your experience here the tops?"

"You can start with your name," Aurelia smiles sweetly, leaning over the counter to reveal a little cleavage.

The man grins. "The name's Swank, babydoll. Care to share yours?"

"Aurelia. And this is my friend Jason," she introduces, loving the displeased look on Vulpes' face. "What's there to do here, Swank?"

"Baby, you name it, we've got it! There's food, gambling, alcohol, swimming pools, the Aces Theater, and more. You'll never be bored here."

Aurelia smiles again, batting her eyelashes. "Thanks for your time. See ya round."

He grins charismatically. "In my dreams, baby." She winks before allowing herself to be dragged off by her irritated companion.

When they're out of the entrance, Aurelia sighs. "You really should lighten up, you know."

"This is not the place for that conversation, Aurelia," he spits, fully irritated.

She draws her brows together in confusion. "What's wrong?" The woman asks in concern, not understanding her companion's sudden hostility. Sure, she knows he dislikes her flirting, but that doesn't explain his anger. It's new to her, and honestly, she's a little afraid.

Vulpes takes a deep breath to try and calm down. So many things he wants to say, but most of them must remain unspoken. "Nothing. Let's go explore while we wait for the Courier to arrive."

The Legion woman lights up, Vulpes' anger momentarily pushed aside, but not forgotten. "Sounds like a good plan to me."

To pass the time, the pair eat in the restaurant, watch what little acts are available in the Aces Theater, and gamble. As it turns out, Aurelia is quite the lucky young woman. "Lady Luck is smilin' down on ya tonight, darlin'!" An older man with a neatly trimmed gray beard chuckles as Aurelia gets 21 again.

"Who knew?" She giggles, sipping a soda. While she focuses on winning more caps and entertaining herself, Vulpes keeps a sharp eye. He's a professional— it's his job to watch the people around him while remaining inconspicuous. That's why he places another bet after collecting a small amount of chips. It's also why he's the first to notice the Courier's arrival.

An hour earlier, he quietly pointed out Benny to Aurelia- a simple task, given the Chairman's ridiculous suit. He warned her that everything was up in the air as soon as the Courier entered the Tops. They had to be prepared for anything.

From what Vulpes had heard and seen, however, the Courier was not one to cause a scene. He preferred to work from the shadows, but didn't mind being in the spotlight. There was a slim chance of him outright attacking the Chairman Leader in the middle of the casino. If it did happen, though, they were prepared to come to his aid.

"Look at that, Aure, I think that's the famous Courier Six!" Vulpes exclaims in his cover voice. The other two gamblers at the table, as well as Aurelia, turn to look for themselves.

The golden-haired woman grins rapaciously. "Oh, the things I would do to that boy." Vulpes narrows his bright eyes at her as she undresses the Courier with her own.

A woman in a light green dress with a fancy hat whistles in agreement. "Amen, sister. He's mighty fine. Did you hear he went into the Lucky 38?!" She nudges Aurelia in excitement.

Though previously told the same thing by her companion, the woman pretends to be interested. "He did?" She asks in fake surprise, when really, she has no idea why it's such a big deal.

"Nobody's been in there for years," Vulpes explains, answering his companion's silent question. Aurelia nods before turning back to the Courier, who's leaning against a wall, surveying the area with faux casualness. He's tall— easily over six feet, and alluring in his own right. With a mop a dark black hair and slightly tan skin, he looks young. Most likely the same age as Vulpes and herself. He also looks very harmless, given his tall and skinny build. The woman can tell his strength is not entirely physical, but more mental.

_Much like Vulpes, _Aurelia thinks to herself while licking her lips. Still, from across the room she can see his muscular arms and deadly gaze. He knows his way around a fight. The Reinforced Leather Armor he wears clings to his agile yet slightly built frame, making him look more like a mercenary than an average visitor on the Strip. He's a hunter, and he's looking for his prey, which she can only assume is Benny. Casual chatter starts up at their Blackjack table again, causing the young woman to tear her eyes away from her own prey. Grinning wolfishly at Vulpes, she plans exactly how she'll get into the Courier's good graces.


End file.
